1. Field of Invention
The present application is in the field of music technology and particularly relates to pickups for stringed musical instruments.
2. Background of the Invention
In the field of music technology, a pickup is a transducer for sensing mechanical vibrations and converting the same into an electrical signal that may be amplified or broadcast before being converted to audible sound. Magnetic or electromagnetic pickups, which are magnets coiled with an electric conductor, are a common type of pickup. Magnetic pickups convert the mechanical vibration of soft-magnetic elements of a musical instrument into an electric current via the vibrations modulating the pickup's magnetic flux to produce an alternating electric current in the coiled electric conductor. In stringed musical instruments, magnetic pickups have typically been used to convert the vibrations of metallic strings into an electric signal for amplification or broadcast.
Sometimes, magnetic pickups for stringed instruments are not entirely satisfactory for amplifying or broadcasting the sound of the instrument. One unsatisfactory aspect of ordinary magnetic pickups is that the sound resulting from the electric signal of such pickups does not always sound natural. Frequently, the unnatural sounds result from the inability of the pickups to sense the vibrating elements of the instrument which are not capable of modulating the pickups' magnetic fluxes (e.g., non-metallic elements), because said vibrating elements may acoustically produce sound. What is more, the vibrating elements which are not sensed by the pickups may nevertheless affect the sound quality ultimately produced from the pickups' electric signal by causing feedback at high output levels (such as those produced in live performances). As a result, the sound produced from such pickups is deficient in an “air” or acoustic quality. Another unsatisfactory aspect of ordinary magnetic pickups is that they are frequently positioned adjacent to the strings of the musical instrument and, as a result, can become a visual distraction to both a musician and the musician's audience. In view of the foregoing, a need exists for magnetic pickups with improved acoustic quality, wherein the pickups are positioned on an instrument in a non-distracting manner.